Yoshi Inspection Unit K9 took a trip to Bournemouth to check out Network Rail’s Video Inspection Unit (VIU2) Class 153 Dogbox No. 153376 working 2Q10 0952 Eastleigh East Yard to Eastleigh East Yard – 22/07/2024
Time flies and here we are. At the time of writing it is the beginning of August 2024 still playing catch up. So with little ceremony or narrative, what follows is a run through of notable railway comings and goings into Dorset territory during July 2024.
Monday 1st July –
Video screenshot of GBRf Class 73 Electro-Diesel locomotives No.’s 73962 ‘Dick Mabbutt’ & 73965 ‘Des O’Brien’ top and tailing test train 1Q51 1115 Derby RTC to Eastleigh East Yard through Poole on the return leg after reversing at Weymouth – 01/07/2024
73962 ‘Dick Mabbutt’ & 73965 ‘Des O’Brien’: 1Q51 1115 Derby RTC to Eastleigh East Yard
Tuesday 2nd July –
GBRf Class 69 No. 69011 at Poole at the head of 5Q64 1531 Southampton Central to Bournemouth TRSMD which involved moving refurbished SWR Class 458 No. 458426 from Widnes Transport Tech to Bournemouth depot – 02/07/2024
69011 & 458426: 5Q64 1531 Southampton Central to Bournemouth TRSMD
GBRf Class 69 No. 69011 returns to Poole, this time dragging SWR Class 458 No. 458510, forming 5Z66 2018 Bournemouth TRSMD to Eastleigh East Yard passes SWR Class 444 No. 444010 on empty coaching stock movement 5B56 2032 Poole to Bournemouth TRSMD – 02/07/2024After running around SWR Class 458 No. 458510 utilising Poole Storage Sidings, GBRf Class 69 No. 69011 heads east at the head of 5Z66 2018 Bournemouth TRSMD to Eastleigh East Yard – 02/07/2024
69011 & 458510: 5Z66 2018 Bournemouth TRSMD to Eastleigh East Yard
Wednesday 3rd July –
West Coast Railway Company (WCRC) Class 47 No. 47812 worked 0Z47 Southall WCR to Swanage on 3rd July in advance of collecting LMS Black Five 4-6-0 No. 44871 which had been marooned on the Swanage Railway since 26th June following lineside fires earlier in the day at Brockenhurst attributed to the Class 5 steam locomotive. The locomotive is seen here in the sidings at Swanage in the company of Class 33 No. 33111 the following morning – 04/07/2024
47812: 0Z47 Southall WCR to Swanage
Thursday 4th July –
LMS Black Five 4-6-0 No. 44871 in light steam in Swanage with support coach awaiting collection by diesel motive power – 04/07/2024WCRC Class 47 No. 47812 heads into the Swanage station area to collect LMS Class 5 4-6-0 No. 44871 – 04/07/2024WCRC Class 47 No. 47812 leads away from Swanage with LMS Class 5 No. 44871 forming 5Z71 0820 Swanage to Crewe Heritage Centre – 04/07/2024After a brief stop adjacent to Class 33 No. 33111, WCRC Class 47 No. 47812 and LMS Class 5 No. 44871 set off for the mainline as 5Z71 0820 Swanage to Crewe Heritage Centre – 04/07/2024WCRC Class 47 No. 47812 towing LMS Class 5 No. 44871 and support coach stands at Wareham working 5Z71 0820 Swanage to Crewe Heritage Centre – 04/07/2024
47812 & 44871: 5Z71 0820 Swanage to Crewe Heritage Centre
For the record: 37219 3Q07 2031 Exeter Riverside NY to Exeter Riverside NY
Saturday 6th July –
Locomotive Services Ltd (LSL) Class 47 No. 47712 ‘Lady Diana Spencer’ at the head of 1Z47 0545 Nantwich to Weymouth “The Dorset Statesman” powers towards Radley, Oxfordshire – 06/07/2024LSL Class 57 No. 57311 passing through Radley at the rear of 1Z47 0545 Nantwich to Weymouth – 06/07/2024
47712 ‘Lady Diana Spencer’ & 57311: 1Z47 0545 Nantwich to Weymouth and 1Z48 1535 Weymouth to Nantwich
Tuesday 9th July –
35028 ‘Clan Line’ & 47812: 1Z94 0846 London Victoria to Yeovil Junction Heritage Platform
WCRC Class 47 No. 47812 at Upwey with “The End of Southern Steam” anniversary railtour reporting as 1Z95 1350 Yeovil Junction Heritage Platform to Weymouth – 09/07/2024
47812: 1Z95 1350 Yeovil Junction Heritage Platform to Weymouth
Having been turned and serviced at the Yeovil Railway Centre, Somerset Southern Railway Merchant Navy 4-6-2 No. 35028 ‘Clan Line’ runs tender first with support coach an hour or so behind the main train reporting as 5Z84 1436 Yeovil Junction Heritage Platform to Weymouth Jersey Siding – 09/07/2024
35028 ‘Clan Line’: 5Z84 1436 Yeovil Junction Heritage Platform to Weymouth Jersey Siding
Reunited with the rake of coaches, SR Merchant Navy 4-6-2 No. 35028 ‘Clan Line’ storms through Hamworthy working 1Z96 1736 Weymouth to London Waterloo. Class 47 No. 47812 provided support from the rear of the train – 09/07/2024
35028 ‘Clan Line’ & 47812: 1Z96 1736 Weymouth to London Waterloo
Monday 15th July –
Back on 15th June, while in the consist of a “Dorset Coast Statesman” outing, it was identified that MK3 coach No. 11082 was not permitted to run on third rail tracks because it is fitted with long swinglink bogies which could under certain circumstances touch the live rail. Such vehicles should be fitted with short swinglink bogies instead and the coach was removed from the train and deposited in the tamper sidings at Poole. After a month of negotiations, LSL dispatched Class 47 No. D1924 (47810) ‘Crewe Diesel Depot’ to retrieve the MK3 working light engine as 0Z45 1025 Southall Locomotive Services Ltd to Poole Storage Sidings – 15/07/2024 (Image by kind permission of Tony Henley / Hentis Rail)LSL Class 47 No. D1924 (47810) ‘Crewe Diesel Depot’ removes carriage No. 11082 from the tamper sidings at Poole, before taking it to Southall working as 5Z44 1614 Poole Storage Sidings to Southall Locomotive Services Ltd – 15/07/2024 (Image by kind permission of Tony Henley / Hentis Rail)
D1924 (47810) ‘Crewe Diesel Depot’ : 0Z45 1025 Southall Locomotive Services Ltd to Poole Storage Sidings / 5Z44 1614 Poole Storage Sidings to Southall Locomotive Services Ltd
Tuesday 16th July –
GBRf Class 69 No. 69010 brings refurbished Class 458 No. 458408 from Widnes to Dorset. On the final leg reporting as 5Q64 1531 Southampton Central to Bournemouth TRSMD the ensemble passes through Poole – 16/07/2024Having run round the Class 458 EMU, GBRf Class 69 No. 69010 with 458408 heads back east working 5Q64 1531 Southampton Central to Bournemouth TRSMD – 16/07/2024
69010 & 458408: 5Q64 1531 Southampton Central to Bournemouth TRSMD
Later that day, GBRf Class 69 No. 69010 hauling unrefurbished Class 458 No. 458509 on the first leg of its journey to Widnes Transport Tech runs down Parkstone Bank reporting as 5Z66 2018 Bournemouth TRSMD to Eastleigh East Yard – 16/07/2024Having changed ends of the consist at Poole, GBRf Class 69 No. 69010 heads back through Parkstone with SWR Class 458 No. 458509 in tow as 5Z66 2018 Bournemouth TRSMD to Eastleigh East Yard – 16/07/2024
69010 & 458509 : 5Z66 2018 Bournemouth TRSMD to Eastleigh East Yard
Monday 22nd July –
Class 153 “Dogbox” No.153376, also known as Network Rail’s Video Inspection Unit (VIU2), in Bournemouth Middle Sidings working 2Q10 0952 Eastleigh East Yard to Eastleigh East Yard – 22/07/2024
153376: 2Q10 0952 Eastleigh East Yard to Eastleigh East Yard
Wednesday 24th July –
Seen passing Hamworthy, Railway Touring Company organised “The Dorset Coast Express” rail tour utilises WCRC Class 47 No. 47812 working 1Z91 0845 London Victoria to Weymouth. This particular tour ran with the diesel up front on the run between Southampton Central and Weymouth instead of the usual steam traction – 24/07/2024 With the steam locomotive unusually attached to the rear of the “The Dorset Coast Express”, LMS Class 5 4-6-0 No. 44871 in light steam passes Hamworthy – 24/07/2024
47812 & 44871: 1Z91 0845 London Victoria to Weymouth
With steam traction on the front for the return run of the “The Dorset Coast Express”, LMS Class 5 4-6-0 No. 44871 makes a fine sight at Hamworthy working 1Z96 1736 Weymouth to London Waterloo – 24/07/2024 By having the steam locomotive work the departure from Weymouth, passengers onboard would be able to enjoy the steam locomotive working hard climbing both Bincombe and Parkstone Bank. However, LMS Class 5 4-6-0 No. 44871 looked pretty impressive storming through Hamworthy just before the rain at the head of 1Z96 1736 Weymouth to London Waterloo – 24/07/2024
44871 & 47812: 1Z96 1736 Weymouth to London Waterloo
Thursday 25th July –
North Dorset New Measurement Train (NMT) was formed of Network Rail Class 43 High Speed Train Class 43 Power Cars No.’s 43062 ‘John Armitt’ and 43013 ‘Mark Carne OBE’. The train is seen at Barford St Martin, Wiltshire reporting as 1Q23 0552 Reading to Salisbury – 25/07/2024Network Rail Class 43 High Speed Train Class 43 Power Cars No. 43013 ‘Mark Carne OBE’ at the rear of 1Q23 0552 Reading to Salisbury – 25/07/2024The NMT is famously nicknamed “The Flying Banana” earned because of its original all yellow livery. In this form, Network Rail Class 43 High Speed Train Class 43 Power Car No.’s 43062 ‘John Armitt’ leads on 1Q23 0552 Reading to Salisbury with No. 43013 ‘Mark Carne OBE’ at the rear as the train nears Wylye, Wiltshire – 25/07/2024
With a UK Railtours outing to the Forest of Dean scheduled the following day, Swanage resident Class 33 diesel No. D6515 (33012) ‘Lt Jenny Lewis RN’ is seen on the approach to Hamworthy running light engine as 0Z65 0935 Swanage to Eastleigh Arlington (ZG) – 26/07/2024
D6515 (33012) ‘Lt Jenny Lewis RN’: 0Z65 0935 Swanage to Eastleigh Arlington (ZG)
Monday 29th July –
For the second time in July the Class 73 hauled plain line pattern recognition (PLPR) system test train ran to Weymouth. The train uses a series of lasers and cameras to detect faulty track components as the train passes over them. Image analysis software uses an algorithm to compare what the cameras see with an image of how the track should look. GBRf Class 73 No.’s 73965 ‘Des O’Brien’ and 73963 ‘Janice’ pass through Hamworthy with 1Q51 1115 Derby RTC to Eastleigh East Yard pass through Hamworthy – (Video screenshot) 29/07/2024
73965 ‘Des O’Brien’ & 73963 ‘Janice’: 1Q51 1115 Derby RTC to Eastleigh East Yard
Tuesday 30th July –
The third refurbished SWR Class 458 unit drag of the month arrived in Poole some 108 minutes late after an enforced stay at Brockenhurst due to a points failure. However, things continued to go wrong as during the exercise where the locomotive changes ends in order to take the train back towards Bournemouth, relay issues caused further delays as the Class 69 failed to respond to its controls. Eventually No. 69009 made it back to Poole Storage Sidings to be reunited with its train – 30/07/2024GBRF Class 69 No. 69009 ‘Western Consort’ hauls SWR Class 458 No. 458410 through Poole some 168 minutes late working 5Q64 1531 Southampton Central to Bournemouth TRSMD – Video screenshot – 30/07/2024 (Many thanks to Tony Henley / Hentis Rail for the updates)
69009 ‘Western Consort’ & 458410: 5Q64 1531 Southampton Central to Bournemouth TRSMD
Wednesday 31st July –
Because of the late arrival in Bournemouth depot the scheduled Tuesday evening return working didn’t run. Instead GBRF Class 69 No. 69009 ‘Western Consort’ took the next Class 458 to be refurbished on the Wednesday afternoon. The locomotive is seen here with No. 458518 pulling into Poole Storage Sidings forming 5Z66 1530 Bournemouth TRSMD to Eastleigh East Yard – 31/07/2024On arrival at Poole Storage Sidings, GBRf Class 69 No. 69009 ‘Western Consort’ is detached from its train – 31/07/2024Once detached from its train the locomotive runs into Poole station before attaching to the London end of the consist – 31/07/2024Once more reunited with Class 458/5 No. 458518 and barrier coaches, GBRf Class 69 No. 69009 ‘Western Consort’ departs Poole hauling 5Z66 1530 Bournemouth TRSMD to Eastleigh East Yard. The train will later transit to Widnes Transport Tech where the EMU will undergo conversion to a Class 458/4, the locomotive returning to Leicester LIP – (Video screenshot) 31/07/2024
69009 ‘Western Consort’ & 458518: 5Z66 1530 Bournemouth TRSMD to Eastleigh East Yard
Video of the majority of Dorset and Dorset bound locomotive workings – July 2024 (additional video courtesy of G E Barrett – with thanks)
FROM THE ARCHIVE
To celebrate the return of Southern Railway Bulleid Pacific Merchant Navy Class No. 35028 ‘Clan Line’ to Dorset metals, here’s a brief look back at this iconic locomotive.
No. 35028 was built with airstream casing at Eastleigh in 1948 and was a regular on prestige named express trains such as the “Golden Arrow” and “Night Ferry”. She was rebuilt in 1959 with her streamlined casing removed and continued to be utilised on famous trains in the South of England, namely the “Bournemouth Belle” and the “Atlantic Coast Express”
SR Merchant Navy No. 35028 stripped of her ‘Clan Line’ name plates sits at Bournemouth Central. A month from this photograph being taken, she was withdrawn from British Railways operational service having hauled a farewell special from London Waterloo to Bournemouth and back on 2nd July 1967 – 03/06/1967 (The Railway Dog Collection – Photographer Unknown)
Following withdrawal, ‘Clan Line’ was purchased by the Merchant Navy Locomotive Society (MNLPS) from British Railways for the princely sum of £3,850. She was one of the first preserved steam locomotives to run on British Rail hauling the “Return to Steam on Southern” railtour from Basingstoke to Westbury and return on 27th April 1974.
Double spread on the return of ‘Clan Line’ to the main line from the July 1974 edition of “The Railway Magazine”Editorial comment on the first “Return to Steam on Southern” tour from the June 1974 edition of “The Railway Magazine”
In 1994, ‘Clan Line’ was the first preserved mainline steam locomotive to be fitted with air brakes. This was in view of the diminishing number of vacuum-braked stock still being maintained on the railways in the UK. Air brakes provide shorter braking distances. In order to not disfigure the locomotive, a large section of the tender was cut out to accommodate the required air pump. This modification reduced the water capacity of the tender by 300 gallons to 5,700 but alterations to the coal space increased capacity here to eight tons. The first public special train the locomotive operated following modification ran on 15th October 1994 and took ‘Clan Line’ back to the former London & South Western main line. Promoted by the Merchant Navy Locomotive Society (MNLPS) the steam locomotive worked the train from London Waterloo to Yeovil Junction with a water stop planned for Andover. No. 35028 would be turned and serviced at Yeovil Junction before running light engine with support coach to Weymouth to rejoin her train which had gone on ahead having been diesel hauled by Class 47 No. 47741 via Dorchester West. “The Wessex Venturer” was steam hauled from Weymouth to London Waterloo with water stops scheduled for Wareham and Eastleigh. The coaching stock employed on the rail tour was the maroon Flying Scotsman Services (FSS) BN91 set. Tickets cost £39.50 standard, £49.50 first and £89.50 premier – 15/10/1994SR Merchant Navy 4-6-2 No. 35028 ‘Clan Line’ sits on the turntable at Swanage having worked onto the heritage railway with UK Railtours “The Royal Wessex” 1Z97 0845 London Victoria to Swanage. This was reported as being the first time a Merchant Navy class locomotive had worked a through train from Wareham to Swanage, as they were too heavy for the branch line during British Railways days – 27/04/2012 (John Chappell)
On 10th August 2019, No. 35028 ‘Clan Line’ headed up the Atlantic Coast Express rail tour 1Z82 0752 London Waterloo to Exeter St Davids- 10/08/2024
When we started “The Railway Dog” blog back in November 2021, it was my intention that it would be a repository for my photographs and videos from the 1970’s, 1980’s and 1990’s. It hasn’t quite turned out like that, and we have tended to record contemporary locomotive hauled railway movements in the County of Dorset as well as featuring mine and Yoshi’s adventures. We’ve fallen a little behind in recent months, but we are now up to date (for the end of July 2024 at least) with our record of exceptional local workings. We’ll be occasionally backtracking in order to feature some of the things we have been up to in the last few months, as well as attempting to keep up with all rail things Dorset as our valued reader seems to like it! Our thanks to everyone who has kindly contributed with photos, videos, news, information, corrections and speculation over the years. It’s been fun. So, until next time – be seeing you!
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